One and Done EDC handgun - looking for advice

[TN2shot07]

I put carry in two categories.

If you want the most shootable with compact size/conceal-ability the 43 or plain 365 are hard to beat. I do not particularly enjoy shooting either one (snappy)

The 48 or 365 macro are easier for me to shoot and only slightly harder to carry size wise. If you like to mess with stuff go Glock, if you want something out of the box get the sig.

I’d go through a few holsters and find what you like, people often underestimate the right one and a solid belt.

 

[BLJ]

I was looking at that and the new shield X

I recently traded my 365 for a Shield X.
I’m almost to 300 rounds so far with no issues.

B

Thread 'S&W Shield X?'

Aug 8, 2025

Any experience?

Looked at one today and liked it. Felt good in my hand and well balanced.
Maybe a replacement for the 365.

• BLJ
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Firearms

• 

 

[Rock’N Tacos]

Dang - I have never heard of them and that thing is sexy as hell! I need to do some more research and read some reviews…

 

[ShooterGrade]

You can get slide milled on one of the pistols you have and get optic of your choice put on it.

I second just getting your slide milled for a direct mount with your optic instead of an MOS plate or something like that. You'll get a much better fit.

I carry an M&P 2.0 compact with an Apex trigger in it + TLR-7A. Will be getting the slide milled for an RMR by Jagerwerks sooner than later. I got it over a Glock 19 because I really like how rough the stippling is (I get sweaty hands when I shoot), but I would have no problem running a Glock either. I carry AIWB in a sidecar style holster, so some people may not like how rough the grip is against your skin, but I don't mind it. The stock M&P trigger was awful for me though.

I'd say go with what you shoot best and what will be comfortable enough for you to actually carry. Go to a range where you can rent them and try them out if you don't know anyone that owns one. I personally hate the grip on the Sig, I feel like I can't get my hand high enough into the grip, like the beavertail isn't aggressive enough if that makes sense. And as others have said, a good belt will make a lot of guns comfortable to carry.

I wouldn't worry too much about printing, most of society is too oblivious to their surroundings to notice.

 

[MTMeatHunter]

Eh. Everything people have already mentioned works. I’m kind of obsessed with carry guns, and I’ve owned pretty much everything listed.

It’s the wizard, not the wand.

They are all mostly the same. Pick one and do what almost no one does: become proficient with it by shooting it, and whatever you choose will work fine.

 

[rileybassman]

The 365 AXG Legion was almost my most recent carry gun - it really is a great blend of size, capacity, and performance. About as small as I'd want to go for a fighting handgun, or as big as I'd go for EDC in really light/minimal clothing. The main reason I personally decided against it is that I was just so fed up with striker-fired mediocrity in triggers, and wanted to get back to SAOs. Gave a lot of consideration to the Staccato C and the Dan Wesson DWX Compact, and ended up going with the DWXc after handling both quite a bit. Don't think I'd change that decision, but there have been a couple of hiccups with it that I wouldn't have had with a Staccato C. But I definitely second your Staccato C recommend, if OP is inclined to a G19 size/weight. It really is just about optimal as a "one and done" all-around handgun.

I also have a DWX compact and it's a great shooter as well! Mine has been solid mechanically tho the coating seems a little fragile. Good taste! I've always enjoyed CZ and have a S2 Carry as well. Push comes to shove with all those options and I'm still gonna grab the Staccato tho as it's just the complete package.

The 365 AXG trigger is not the best, but I also find that whenever I run it, I don't really think about it... so to me, that's good enough. It's very accurate and controllable and makes a great CC.

 

[Flyjunky]

Well since your not stuck on striker fires. Check this one out. Really small and really fast firing. Amazing carry, but it will cost you.
ULTRALIGHT PRO | Bul Armory USA https://share.google/1oifx8JUysZtiWCKT


You can just search it on YouTube. Man is it fast.

BA makes some sweet pistols.

 

[BigNate]

This is a very subjective thing to get an answer to.
We all have different ideas of probable issues, don't know your build, experience, tolerance for weight, size, etc. Concealability is very different for different body types. Can you dress how you want? How likely are you to be in a gunfight vs. Deter a crime?

I carry a G19 with a TLR7a and a Steiner MPS. The MPS was a gift, but may not be ideal. I carry at least one mag. My choices now are different than a couple years ago. I used to carry a P938 and pocket a spare mag.

You have to pick what's going to be acceptable for you. If you knew you were heading into a gunfight you'd pick much differently than a what if... in a low crime area.
Holsters is a whole different level of struggle to find what works in your situation. Not every gun is popular enough to get every holster option.

 

[idig4au]

Sig P365 Spectre Comp

 

[zdc1775]

My standard answer for anyone taking one of my pistol classes and looking for a smaller CCW is to buy a Sig P365XL or Macro and swap the grips if you think it's either too big or too small with a focus of using the largest grip size that you will actually carry everyday.

If the person is either totally against buying a Sig, I will recommend either the Glock 43/43x/48 or Springfield Hellcat/Hellcat Pro, again whichever size is the largest one you will actually carry (that's the primary reason why I prefer and recommend the 365 over the Glock, you can make it larger or smaller for fairly cheap).

I don't have much first hand experience with the newer S&W Shields to have formed an opinion one way or the other, and virtually no experience with the smaller Rugers, Caniks, and so ons so I would not recommend or warn people away from them.

Regardless of what they/you pick, I do always stress the importance of a good carry belt and holster. My picks for that are Kore Essential or Nexbelt for a belt and Tier1Concealed or Tenicor for holsters.

 

[Luked]

Have a Springfield Hellcat Pro that I recently got.
Really like the gun but isnt the best trigger i have ever seen. But I am also a bit biased to 1911s also.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

Glock 43X mos. I have a red dot , weapon light and use the shield mags so it carries 15 plus 1 in the pipe. After going this route everything else sits in the safe as far as EDC goes.

This.

 

[RockAndSage]

I also have a DWX compact and it's a great shooter as well! Mine has been solid mechanically tho the coating seems a little fragile.

Same - mechanically it's been phenomenal. At about 15,000 rounds now, still the tightest barrel lock-up I've seen, and hands-down the most mechanically accurate combat handgun I've ever spent any time on. Cleaning and re-lubing every 2k-ish rounds, and have had maybe 3 or 4 failures that weren't ammo related. Each of those was the extractor jumping the rim of the case, leaving it stuck part-way out of the chamber after firing, in what seems to be the head of the fired casing possibly hanging up a bit on the mouth of the case of the next live round. Overall though, I've just been exceedingly impressed with the reliability of the gun, and its shootability.

That said, Dan Wesson absolutely $h*t the bed on the coating.

It's supposed to be DLC, which is nearly impervious to wear. I've seen DLC'd AR bolt-carriers with 20k rounds on them that barely show a mar on the bearing surfaces. It seems to be limited to the slide though - the barrel and frame rails show about as much wear as a classic Sig would after a couple hundred rounds. I've been impressed with the coatings on those parts. And the hard anodizing on the aluminum frame seems almost flawless - even at the mag-well, the only wear is a few dings on the sharpest part of the rim.

This, however, is the result of about 30,000 holsterings into kydex - I wouldn't expect it to be flawless after that, by any means, but at most I'd only expect to see a little rub-wear right on the corners of the muzzle-end of the slide. Instead, this looks like I paid some shade-tree cerakoter to give it a battle-worn look, anywhere the holster touches:

 

[rileybassman]

Same - mechanically it's been phenomenal. At about 15,000 rounds now, still the tightest barrel lock-up I've seen, and hands-down the most mechanically accurate combat handgun I've ever spent any time on. Cleaning and re-lubing every 2k-ish rounds, and have had maybe 3 or 4 failures that weren't ammo related. Each of those was the extractor jumping the rim of the case, leaving it stuck part-way out of the chamber after firing, in what seems to be the head of the fired casing possibly hanging up a bit on the mouth of the case of the next live round. Overall though, I've just been exceedingly impressed with the reliability of the gun, and its shootability.

That said, Dan Wesson absolutely $h*t the bed on the coating.

It's supposed to be DLC, which is nearly impervious to wear. I've seen DLC'd AR bolt-carriers with 20k rounds on them that barely show a mar on the bearing surfaces. It seems to be limited to the slide though - the barrel and frame rails show about as much wear as a classic Sig would after a couple hundred rounds. I've been impressed with the coatings on those parts. And the hard anodizing on the aluminum frame seems almost flawless - even at the mag-well, the only wear is a few dings on the sharpest part of the rim.

This, however, is the result of about 30,000 holsterings into kydex - I wouldn't expect it to be flawless after that, by any means, but at most I'd only expect to see a little rub-wear right on the corners of the muzzle-end of the slide. Instead, this looks like I paid some shade-tree cerakoter to give it a battle-worn look, anywhere the holster touches:

Yeah I'm nowhere near that amount of usage, but I have several wear marks from holstering that indicate it will look like your in the future. I have read on some other forums that Dan Wesson is re-DLCing some and there was an issue with a batch... idk that it's worth it to me to send it in for a paint job or not but I agree, I have knives and many other guns with DLC that do WAY better than this. It doesn't even feel like DLC to me.

 

[RockAndSage]

I have read on some other forums that Dan Wesson is re-DLCing some and there was an issue with a batch...

That's a bummer, but glad to know it might be just a bad batch. I got a recommend from @ZeroFoxGiven to check out DSC Gunworks to get it properly DLC'd, which will be great to have done. Still dialing some things in on the gun though, and will hold off until I'm sure it's where it needs to be. I've tried 3 different grip approaches on this gun now, and the one that's giving me the most control is a pretty high grip with the support hand, which caused the need for a little melding and tuning on the controls. There's nothing inherently wrong with the controls, but this batch's coating is definitely the only thing keeping me from recommending the gun without reservation.

 

[RockAndSage]

My picks for that are Kore Essential or Nexbelt

+1 to these recommends OP, using both (EDC is Nexbelt, a Kore setup for range).

 

[E.Shell]

I like my Sig P365s. I have a regular P365 that gets carried the most. I also have a P365X and a P365XL (optic versions) that also carry well. As someone above mentioned, they are small and snappy and not my favorite range guns, but hide well on my thin frame and point well for me.

I tried a dot on mine, but really feel more comfortable at defensive distances with sights and I'm definitely faster with irons.

 

[SwiftShot]

BA makes some sweet pistols.

Oh they do. I want a 10 mm

BA makes some sweet pistols.

I would pull the trigger tomorrow again if I could get that Ulta Light Pro in 10mm. Talk about a backcountry and everyday carry pistol all wrapped up in one. I would just be Take My Money Please.

 

[Rock’N Tacos]

BA makes some sweet pistols.

Any comparisons to a staccato? They similar in reliability?

 

[SwiftShot]

Any comparisons to a staccato? They similar in reliability?

They are much like them. The Bul Armory all have ported barrels in the barrel itself not on the end. They seem to be better engineered than a staccato. The Staccato is a very well finished gun in its own right. The Bul Armory seem to have faster follow up shots with smaller and lighter weapons.